Two arrested after separate chase incidents in Bemidji

On Saturday, December 24, 2011, at approximately 9:16 A.M., Beltrami County Sheriff's Deputies responding to a call of an assault with a knife on Melby Lane in Wilton, spotted the suspect vehicle which had been described by the victims to dispatch as a silver Grand Am. Deputies attempted to stop the Grand Am and the suspect fled east on the Highway 2 bypass from Division Street. The pursuit reached speeds exceeding 100 Miles per hour before the suspect finally stopped his vehicle on Highway 2.

The suspect, identified as Ricky Lee Lidel, 56, Bemidji, abandoned his vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended by responding deputies. Deputies made contact with the caller and learned Lidel had broken the victim's nose and threatened to stab the victim with a knife during a violent encounter with Lidel that occurred at the victim's residence in Wilton.

Lidel is in custody at the Beltrami County Jail pending review of charges by the County Attorney for Felony Second Degree Assault, Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle, Fleeing on Foot and Driving after Revocation.

On Saturday evening, December 24, 2011, at approximately 10:05 P.M., Bemidji City Police responded to a Domestic Dispute in the 200 block of 24th Street NW, in Bemidji. The caller was reporting her former boyfriend, identified as Jesse Ontiveros, 26, of Bemidji, was in her residence in violation of a "no-contact" court order and she was currently involved in a physical altercation with the Ontiveros. The dispatchers could hear sounds of a struggle when Ontiveros grabbed the phone away from the victim and left the residence. Responding officers observed Ontiveros a short time later driving a Chevrolet Pick-up truck and attempted to stop him. Ontiveros took off at a high rate of speed eventually heading north on Irvine Avenue.

Deputies who responded to assist, became involved in the chase which reached over 100 miles per hour as Ontiveros fled northbound. Ontiveros drove in an erratic manner, swerving into the oncoming lane and back and forth across the centerline. Sheriff's deputies used a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT), to stop Ontiveros' driving behavior when Ontiveros slowed to attempt a turn onto Lumberjack Road NW. Ontiveros' vehicle came to rest in the west ditch, north of Lumberjack Road NW, on Irvine Avenue NW (County Road 15) in the area of Nebish.

Once in the ditch, Ontiveros attempted to drive his vehicle out of the ditch towards responding officers. A second Deputy positioned his marked patrol unit in front of Ontivero's vehicle. Ontivero's struck the Deputy's squad car before coming to a stop. Ontiveros was arrested at that time without further incident. There was minor damage cased to two sheriff's squad cars as a result of this incident.

Ontiveros is in custody at the Beltrami County Jail pending review of charges by the County Attorney for Violating a No Contact Court Order, Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer and Interference with a 911 telephone call.